April 24 is not simply a day or history; it’s an every day alarm and struggle, Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, noted in his April 24 message Sunday.

“Each day on the calendar of every Armenian should become April 24.

 […] Today the same genocide perpetrator continues its genocide against the Armenian people. Stay awake, Armenian people…”, the aforementioned message reads.

Aram I pointed to numerous expression of the continuing genocide by Turkey, noting the denial of the 1915 events by the Turkish authorities, that country’s anti-Armenian propaganda, seizure of numerous Western Armenian and Cilician churches, estates and institutions, Turkish terrorists’ invasion to Kessab and their barbaric actions there, Baku and Sumgait pogroms, as well as the war against Karabakh unleashed by Azerbaijan with the support of Turkey.

“We shouldn’t allow the genocide perpetrator to try to enter the lands liberated at the cost of our blood.

For this purpose, it is necessary to carry out the following steps:

a) The strengthening of the Armenian army is an urgent imperative.

b) The diplomatic relations of Armenia must become more influential and efficient. Here the Diaspora can contribute to the foreign relations of Armenia thanks to its rich experience, especially in the work related to the Armenian Genocide.

c) In the present globalized world, the propaganda war has great influence alongside the economic, political and military impulses. Our propaganda activities must also become more organized and active”.

According to the Catholicos, the defense of Karabakh and strengthening of its independence are of fatal importance to Armenia. “This should become our pan-Armenian policy. This is the path to the self-defense and strengthening of Armenia. This is the path to reparation of the rights of the Armenian people,”the message says.